Welcome to: Grassroots and the Media

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Welcome toGrassroots and the Media

• A presentation from Stephanie Vance
• Advocacy Guru
• Advocacy Associates, LLC

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Topics

• About the Webinar
• About the Advocacy Roundtable Program
• Why Use Media in an Advocacy Effort?
• Where to Start
• Five Themes
• Five Tools
• Three Next Steps
• Ideas to Take Home!

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About the Webinar

• Sound (Cant hear anything? Follow the
  instructions on your computer and be sure your
  speakers are on!)
• Muting
• Questions
• Toolbar
• Follow-up Materials
• Recording

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About the Advocacy Roundtable

• What is it? What have you gotten yourself into?
• What are the main benefits?
• Webinar subscription
• Online social network
• Discounts on services

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Where are We Starting From?

• Lets go to the poll

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How Does Media Help Your Advocacy Effort?

• Raises the profile of your issue
• Offers a new and often invigorating way for
  grassroots activists to get involved
• Enhances your access and reach in the legislature

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Where to Start

• Make a plan
• Earned Media Approaches
• Paid Media Approaches
• Who do you want to influence?
• What do they read, watch or listen to?
• Whats your overall message?
• How much time and money can you spend?

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Five Themes for Effective Earned Media

• Build Your Database(s)
• Create a Comprehensive Campaign
• Demonstrate Expertise
• Demonstrate Relevancy
• Respect Their Time

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Build Your Database(s)

• Reporters / Outlets
• Advocates
• The Importance of Networking
• Resources
• Online Newspapers
• Streaming Radio Guide
• Congress.org Media Guide

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Create a Comprehensive Campaign

• Create a theme (or several themes)
• To the extent possible, coordinate earned media
  with paid media
• When youre running an ad, try getting an OpEd
  placed
• When you know youll have an article running,
  consider purchasing an ad
• See our sample

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Demonstrate Your Expertise

• Knowledge
• Credentials
• Platform
• Provide additional / separate resources as needed

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Demonstrate Relevancy

• Whats Your Hook?
• Why are you Relevant to the Reporters Readers?
• Why are you Relevant to the Outlet Format?
• Why are you Relevant to Current Events?

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Respect Their Time

• When calling them, the first words out of your
  mouth are
• When they call you, you should
• (it may not be fair, but its the way to get ink)

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Still with me?

• Lets go to the poll

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5 Specific Tools

• Utilize these tools to get three things across
• Opinions
• Announcements
• Expertise
• These will lead to enhanced name / cause
  recognition!

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Letters to the Editor and OpEds (Opinions)

• What are they?
• Focus Very current events (within 24 hours of a
  specific happening)
• Word counts 150 / 500
• Samples / Templates
• http//www.napta.net/resources_templates.asp

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Editorial Boards (Opinions)

• What are they?
• Focus Why an issue matters to their readers
• Why youre right!
• What the opponents say and why theyre wrong
• Format Meeting

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Press Conferences (i.e., Announcement-Based Press)

• What are they? Event at which you make a major
  announcement (youll also issue a press release
  and a media advisory)
• Focus Youll want elements for print, TV and
  radio
• Format Important statement(s) and QA

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Articles, Columns and Blogs (Expertise)

• What is it? Periodic and/or regular pieces you
  write for publication
• One of the BEST ways to get ink
• Dont ignore small publications
• Format
• Blog 500 words
• Article 800 to 1,000 words
• Consider online approaches
• See Ezine articles example

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Local TV and Radio (Expertise)

• What are they Looking For?
• Regular guests
• Experts with thought-provoking opinions
• Format Issues
• TV Visuals
• Radio Soundbites

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Three Steps to Take Today

• and here we go

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Number 1 Create Advocate Media Response Teams

• Why? The facts and figures fly fast and
  furious during an advocacy campaign. Having a
  ready made team of responders at the local level
  can ensure that your message is heard.
• Your role Identify likely team members and
  train them
• Initial survey of advocates
• Prepare talking points
• Audio / online role-playing

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Number 2 Create Materials

• Draft LTEs
• Draft OpEds
• Draft Press Releases
• Instruction sheets for you media response team on
  connecting with reporters
• See NTHP Example

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Step 3 Explore Web 2.0 Techniques

• Become a Guest Blogger, Podcaster or Twitterer
• Start your own!
• See my Twitter example
• Comment online on interesting articles

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The Five Minute Action Plan

• Whats one strategy youll implement today (or
  tomorrow its late today)
• Lets go to the poll!

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Upcoming Sessions!

• Grassroots and the Elections
• Special Session with Columbia Books Lobby Days
  and Fly-Ins.
• Special Session with CMF Congress and the
  Information Overload
• Facebooking Your Way to Advocacy Success
• See the schedule Online

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Contact Information

• Stephanie Vance
• The Advocacy Guru
• Advocacy Associates
• 1640 19th St., NW
• 2nd Floor
• Washington, DC 20009
• [phone]
• vance_at_advocacyguru.com